Boppard (a photo gallery)

August 28, 2021

What? Another photo gallery? We just had one of these just three days ago.

Yup, and here comes another one. Take it or leave it, but that’s what happens when you bike such short days. You arrive in town with enough time and energy left to look around; and in places like we’re staying now everywhere you turn there’s something fantastic that you don’t want to forget.

Take Boppard here. How many of you even knew Boppard existed, much less that it has so much to offer to the slow traveler? For us it’s about the ideal size and character for an overnight stop. There’s a lot to hold your interest, but not so much that you hardly know where to start. It’s small enough that everything is within easy walking distance, but large enough to that you’ve got some enticing choices for your evening meal, but not so many that you can’t decide where to eat and perseverate until a food crisis spoils the evening; and since hardly anyone has even heard of the place the town isn’t swamped with tourists and has an authentic feel. I’m not sure there are any Lellmans here, but you can’t have everything.

Boppard: population about 13,000 with roots that go back at least as far as Julius Caesar. Definitely worth a stop.

I like this deep but narrow building next to our hotel, just one room wide. The back wall is solid, windowless brick.

Untere Marktstraße has some old, well preserved homes. Anno 1585!

The front door is impressive, but the whole building is even more so.

Another fine old home on Untere Marktstraße.

Up the street is the church of St. Severus.

The Romanesque St. Severus church was built in the 12th and 13th centuries, replacing an earlier 6th century church built in on top of abandoned Roman baths.

The stained glass windows on other south aisle, all modern, we’re created in 1987 by a local artist.

The former stadtschultheißen (city schoolhouse), built in 1615 and restored in 1968.

Details of the stadtschultheißen. What a delightful structure to create for children!

Looking down Main Street through the Binger Gate.

One of the delights of Boppard is the largely pedestrianized waterfront.

Looking across the Rhine from the Boppard waterfront. It is amazing how many barges, ferries and other vessels pass by. It seems like there is a new one coming around the bend every time you look.

A small ferry crosses the river frequently, connecting the town to the opposite bank.

A view across the Rhine from the Boppard waterfront.

Across the river at the extreme of its large bend is St. Margaretha Church, in Filsen.

Finally, after much preening every feather is in place.

For dinner we ate outdoors on the waterfront at an Istrian restaurant.

The impish girl from the next table tossed debris in the air for several minutes until finally flinging it at her family. Much sturm und drang ensued.

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Carolyn van HoeveHi Scott & Rachael! You must be so pleased your gamble paid off and there you are cycling in Europe again! A beacon of hope and inspiration for the likes of us stuck in lockdown. In fact so much so, we are thinking of copying your itinerary next June. Your travels through Germany look wonderful. Are you finding it a lot more expensive than Southern Spain?
We may start in reverse though given it will be spring and warmer setting out in Rome. We are also thinking about purchasing our bikes there and using Tricia Graham’s great idea of finding a storage unit at the end of the ride for the bikes, which would be our start point for the next trip.
Actually you have been such an inspiration that we’re one step closer to your life by having sold our home and moving into an apartment. It has freed up our life and given us lots of (cycling) possibilities.
So with great interest I will be following your journal !
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Carolyn van HoeveYes, we’re very happy with our decision and with being over here. Looking at the mess back home, we feel much safer being here. Also of course feeling very lucky to have gotten in in time - the EU just decided today to advise their member states against admitting Americans, and who could blame them?

We’re trying to think back to costs I’m southern Spain, but I think they’re roughly comparable, maybe somewhat higher but not bad at all. Depending on how spendthrift you are, of course. I wouldn’t avoid it for cost reasons in any case.

Starting in the south in the spring and following the season north would be excellent. I don’t recall if you’ve been to southern Italy before, but if not you might push the season and start further south, in Puglia - it would be wonderful in March. There’s always the train available if you run out of time and need to make ground somewhere.

Congrats on selling your home! Nothing has happened in the past three and a half years for us to have any regrets about doing so ourselves.
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3 years ago

Carolyn van HoeveThanks Scott, yes I read about the EU - what incredible timing!
We were looking into getting a garmin and I was about to ask which model you had but my question was answered in your last post. You're obviously very happy with it!
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Carolyn van HoeveThankfully the earliest reports about the EU decision mislead me. Americans can still come over, if they’re vaccinated and can present their vaccination cards - as already happens at every hotel and restaurant we go to. All to the good, in my opinion.

Yes, everything about the Garmin is great. Very readable and responsive, light, comes with resident maps that cover all of America and Europe, and I think of NZ and Australia as well. We especially like the fact that you can pair your devices with your phones so you can track the location of your partner. we often cycle out of sight of each other and it’s really great to be able to track the other’s position and whether they’re still moving.
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3 years ago